Practice keyboard



Patented July 21, 1931 1 815 579 UNITED STATES PATENT FFl CE 'RALPH A. OSTBURG, JR., OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS PRACTICE KEYBOARD Application filed July 30, 1930. Serial No. 471,610.

This invention relates to a practice key guide board 14 at the rear of the front cross board and more particularly to such a device member 10, and a stop board 15 extending for use in training beginners in rhythm and across the top of the frame and abutting the in the fundamental finger movements of cover 13 when the latter is in closed posi- 5 piano playing. tion, the purpose of which will be hereinafter An object-of the invention is to provide a described. The key board is comprised by simple, inexpensive device such that each the full-tone or white keys 16, and the halfmember of a class or group receiving instructone or fiat keys 17, exactly as in the keyboard tion may be provided with one. of a piano, except that in the embodiment of Another object of the invention is to give the invention described herein only two and co the keys 'a tension approximating as nearly a half octaves are provided. The length of as possible the tension of the keys of a tuned the key board and the number of octaves inpiano, and to allow the same time interval for eluded may of course be varied as may seem the return of the keys to normal position desirable. after being depressed, as is the case in atuned A shaft or pivot rod 18 is suspended be- 6 iano. tween the side members 11, at a point between Still another object of the device is to the center and the rear of the device, and the overcome the dull, flat sound of a key striking keys 16 and 17 are threaded thereon or otheran ordinary base, by providing an impact wise mounted so as to be capable of revolving member havingapredetermined resonance. about said shaft as an axis. Since the keys Other objects and novel features of the inare pivoted at a point adjacent their rear vention 'will be pointed out and clearly deends it will be well understood that unless fined in the claims at the close of this specisome tensioning means is provided the front fication. ends of the keys will drop down whereas 25 In the drawings: normally the keys should maintain a horiline'33 of Fig. 2. quality, joining the rear end of each key to Q0 hack cross member. In addition there is a the 's'iots 1.4., which serve to limit Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device, zontal position. Tensioning means may be Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the provided in any suitable way, but applicant line 22 of Fig. 3, and prefers to use for this purpose elastic bands Fig. 3 is'a transverse section taken on the of a predetermined and uniform size and Before explaining in detail the present inthe back cross member 12. The elastic bands vention, it is to be understood that the inmay be simply slipped over pins 1.9 provided vention is not limited in its application to for this purpose along the back cross memthe details of construction and arrangement ber 12, and on the rear end of each of the of parts illustrated in the accompanying keys 16 and 17, and the tension may be easily drawings, since the invention is capable of adjusted by making one or more turns of the other embodiments and of being practised elastic around one of said pins. Springs or or carried out in various Ways. Also it is other tensioning means may be provided in to be understood that the phraseology or place of the elastic bands, which have been terminology employed herein is for the purchosen for the purpose of economy. By using pose of description and not of limitation, and elastic bands of uniform size and quality, it is not intended to limit the invention bethe resistance of the keys of a tuned piano yond the terms of the several claims hereto may be approximated. appended as considered in view of the prior As shown in Fig. 3 each of the white keys art and the requirements thereof. 16 is provided at its front end with a stop As illustrated herein the key board is c0npin 20 which travels in a corresponding vertained within a frame comprising the front tical slot or guide 21, provided in the guide cross member 10, the sides 11, the back cross board 14; When the keys 16 are intheir normember 12, and the cover 13, hinged to the anal position the pins 20 will be at the upper the upward movement of these keys, and to overcome any tendency which the elastic bands might have to raise them beyond their normal position.

The half-tone or black keys 17 are similarly limited in their upward movement by the stop board 15, which is provided with an interlining 22 of some soft material such as felt to render the action noiseless.

Extending longitudinally across the device below the white and black keys respectively are two sounding boards 23 and 2 1 against which the keys strike when depressed. I have found by repeated experiment that by providing holes 25, through the boards 28 and 2-1, they will give a resonant sound when struck, instead of a (lull, fiat sound, which is the case when the keys strike the surface of a solid impact member. I have also found that by making the holes 25 of a definite diameter and spacing them at regular predetermined distances I can obtain the resonance of middle A of a piano. This is a highly desirable feature since it gives a musical note to the impact of the keys, greatly increasing the value of the device as a means of teaching rhythm and adds greatly to the enjoyment of the pupils.

I claim:

1. A practice key-board comprising in combination a frame, a number of keys pivotally mounted in said frame so that the front ends of said keys may be depressed to simu late the action of playing a piano, means for raising said keys to their normal position, and a member against which said keys strike when depressed, said member being adapted to give a predetermined reasonance to the sound of the impact of said keys.

2. A practice key-board comprising in combination a frame, a number of keys mounted in said frame so that they may be depressed to simulate the action of playing a piano, means for returning said keys to normal position after being depressed, and a sounding board for said key-board against which said keys strike when depressed, said sounding board having a number of air spaces formed therein to give a predetermined reasonance to the sound of the impact of said keys.

3. A practice key-board comprising in combination, a number of keys mounted in a frame so that they may be made to simulate the action of the keys of a piano, and a sounding board for said key-board comprising a rectangular member extending the full length of said device and having a number of air spaces extending through said member laterally, said air spaces being distributed so as to give a predetermined resonance to said board.

4. A practice key-board comprising in combination a frame, a pivot rod, a number of keys rotatably mounted on said pivot rod, elastic means joining therear end of each of said keys to said frame, and a sounding board for said key-board against which said keys strike when depressed, said sound board having a number of air spaces extending therethrough, the size and distribution of said air spaces being such that said board when struck by one of said keys will give a predetermined note.

A practice key-board comprising in combination a frame, a pivot rod supported within said frame, a number of full tone and a number of half tone keys mounted on said pivot rod arranged as in the key-board of a piano, a sounding board for said key-board against which each of said keys strikes when depressed, means exerting a tension on the rear end of said keys to return them to normal position when depressed, said means approximating the tension exerted on the keys of av tuned piano, and separate stop means limiting the upward or return movement of each of said keys.

6. A practice key-board comprising a sounding board having a predetermined resonance and a number of keys rotatably mounied above said sounding board and adapted when depressed to strike against said sounding board to produce a musical note.

7. A practice key-board comprising a number of keys rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis, a resonant member against which said keys normally contact when rotated forwardly, and means for gradually and evenly returning said keys to raised position above said resonant member, said means comprising elastic connections joining the rear ends of the respective keys to the frame of said keyboard, said elastic connections being adapted when said keys are rotated forwardly to stretch evenly throughout their length.

8. In a practice key-board having a number of keys mounted so that the front end may be depressed, the means for giving instruction in rhythm comprising a resonant member against which said keys are adapted to strike when depressed, said member having a number of apertures extending therethrough arranged in parallel relation and spaced apart a predetermined distance.

9. A practice key-board comprising a number of pivotally mounted keys and a sounding board underlying said keys and adapted to give to the impact of each key a predetermined resonance.

10. A practice key-board comprising a number of pivotally mounted keys and a sounding board underlying said keys and adapted to give to the impact of each key the resonance of middle A of apiano.

11. A practice key-board comprising a number of pivotally mounted keys and a sounding board against which said keys strike when depressed, said sounding board having a number of holes therethrough spaced so that when struck by any of the keys it will give a resonant sound approximating that of middle A.

12. A practice key-board comprising a frame, a number of ke s rotatably supported within said frame ad acent their rear ends, connections between the rear end of said keys and said frame, said connections being adapted to stretch evenly throughout their length and to contract evenly and gently and having sufficient tension to raise said keys when they are depressed, and a sounding board for said key-board comprising a rectangular member against which said keys are adapted to strike when fully depressed in the normal use of the device, said member having a number of parallel apertures extending through said member laterally.

13. A practice key-board comprising a frame, a number of full-tone and a number of half-tone keys pivotally mounted adjacent their rear ends in said frame, and a plurality of sounding boards against which said fulltone keys and said half-tone keys respectively are adapted to strike, each of said sounding boards having a number of apertures of predetermined diameter extending therethrough in parallel relation.

14. A practice key-board comprising a frame, a number of full-tone and a number of half-tone keys pivotally mounted adjacent their rear ends in said frame, and a plurality of sounding boards against which said fulltone keys and said half-tone keys respectively are adapted to strike, each of said sounding boards having a number of apertures of pre determined diameter extending therethrough in parallel relation, and connections between the upper surface of the rear end of each of said keys and the said frame, said connections having sutficient tension to rotate said keys into normal raised position after they have been depressed, said connections being evenly stretchable throughout their entire length and capable of raising said keys with a movement approximating that given to the keys of a tuned piano by the counterweights carried at the rear ends of said keys.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature. to RALPH A. OSTB RG, JR. 

